Steps Ahead - Steps Ahead / self-titled

2023 European CD reissue. In 1983 Steps Ahead (their first three albums were released under the name Steps on Nippon Columbia) were forced to change their name from Steps to avoid a lawsuit from a similarly named company. The quintet with Mike Mainieri on vibes, Michael Brecker on tenor sax, Eliane Elias on piano, Eddie Gomez bass and Peter Erskine on drums, all shine on this first ‘Steps Ahead’ album. There are some really nice songs on here like the 11 minutes opener (and Jazz/Fusion standard) “Pools”, “Islands”, “Skyward Bound” and the beautiful Peter Erskine tune “Northern Cross”. ‘Steps Ahead’ had developed a collective identity quite different to any group in resulting in one of the best records in the history of Jazz “Fusion”.